From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

SPAIN MAKES ONE MORE TWO-STROKE RACE FOR PROTON

Proton Team KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobuatsu Aoki will line up for Sunday’s Spanish GP – first race of the European season and third on the season – for one more outing on the stalwart KR3 500cc two-stroke.

Work on developing the all-new 990cc V5 four-stroke replacement has gone on non-stop in the two weeks since the South African GP, but hopes of a racing debut at the Spanish round were put on hold after teething troubles delayed planned roll-out tests in Britian. After the weekend, the decision was taken to continue to campaign the two-stroke until the new bike has completed successful track tests.

“We’re getting our new bike done as quickly as we can – but we won’t put it on the track until it’s ready. It’s frustrating, but it’s kind of what we expected,” said team owner Kenny Roberts.

While dynamometer engine development continues back at the Banbury base, and the first test ride imminent, team and riders can look forward to one last chance of harassing the 990cc four-strokes on their slower but lighter and nimbler 500cc machine, and another chance to rewrite the two-stroke record books.

At the previous round in South Africa, Jeremy McWilliams again put another Proton fastest-ever two-stroke lap into the record books when he qualified in the thick of the four-stroke pack … only to be knocked off as innocent victim of a start-line crash. He already holds the same distinction at other tracks, including Rio and Phillip Island.

And team-mate Nobuatsu Aoki also feels he can draw strength from one more two-stroke ride. At last year’s Spanish GP the Japanese star gave a brilliant demonstration of riding skill to finish seventh overall. Aoki beat all but two of the new 990cc four-strokes as he shoed how superlative handling can make up for a lack of outright top speed.

The two-stroke rebels will make the most of it. “We took the decision not to try to race the new machine at Jerez after a few problems delayed our planned tests in Britain,” explained team manager Chuck Aksland.

“We’ve been working away, with a lot of things happening and steady progress. Our first target was Jerez, but just because the thing is up and running only means you move on to the next problem. This is a very complex new motorcycle, and there are a lot of systems to test before we even know how much faster than the two-stroke it can be,” concluded Aksland.

The Spanish GP is the first of a series of nine races in Europe – the major part of the World Championship season. The Jerez circuit is an icon of motorcycle racing in Spain – the oldest GP track in a country that has three races. As the opening round, it traditionally draws huge crowds to the Andalucian showpiece, recently given a major face-lift.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS: MAKE THE MOST OF IT
It’s obviously a difficult time, but everybody in the team is pulling in the same direction and the goal keeps getting closer. I felt in South Africa on the two-stroke I could have finished in the top ten, and I think I can have the same aim at Jerez. Our bike goes well there. But I’m looking forward to testing the new one.

NOBUATSU AOKI: PROVING THE PROGRESS
The last race at Welkom showed how much faster we are this year than last, and how much better the tyres have become. Last year I really enjoyed Jerez, because there are quite a few places where the two-stroke has an advantage. I hope it will be the same this year, and as always I will try my best.